Forest Product Permits

Those wishing to cut firewood from the national forest may obtain a free woodcutting permit starting early May each spring from most Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest offices.

The permit and associated tags allow the cutting of firewood in select areas of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest and are valid through December 31. Please be aware, woodcutting season on the Naches Ranger District generally closes on September 30.

Permits will also be available at vendor stores in the Methow Valley and Ellensburg (listed below). Vendors add a $2 administrative processing fee.

When getting a free woodcutting permit:

• People will need to provide their driver’s license.
• The permit holder will receive a permit, firewood tags, and map, which should be carried with them when cutting and transporting firewood.
• The permit holder must also be present during firewood gathering on the National Forest.

Woodcutters may obtain a maximum of 12 cords of wood per household per year. This limit is a combined total of all personal AND commercial cords. The minimum cords per permit is four.

Personal firewood permits are available for free (unless obtained from a vendor which adds a $2 fee). Those who receive free use firewood permits may use the firewood for cutting, manufacturing, or other processing, but not for resale. The total amount of free use material granted to an individual in any fiscal year cannot exceed $200 in value (36 CFR 223.8).

For those who would like to obtain wood for commercial (resale) purposes, Commercial firewood permits may be purchased from the Cle Elum, Chelan, and Methow Valley Ranger Districts.  The minimum permit purchase is four cords for $20 and the maximum is 12 cords for $60.  Contact those offices directly for details on permitted locations.

Firewood Cutting area maps

Note:  The map files are large, it may take a few minutes to open them.

Firewood cutting map for the Chelan, Entiat, Wenatchee River, and Cle Elum Ranger Districts

Firewood cutting map (in English) for the Naches Ranger District

Firewood cutting information in Spanish for the Naches Ranger District

Firewood cutting map (north half)  for the Methow Valley Ranger District

Firewood cutting map (south half) for the Methow Valley Ranger District

Commercial Mushroom Harvesting Permits will not be sold in 2025.

Personal / Incidental Use Mushroom Gathering:
Harvest of five gallons per day is free. A free Incidental Use Mushroom Information Sheet  is required to be in the possession of anyone collecting morel mushrooms for personal use from the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Contact ranger district offices for more information. 

• FREE Incidental Use Mushroom Information Sheet
• Información GRATUITA sobre el uso personal de las setas

The free Incidental Personal Use Information sheet is REQUIRED to be in the possession of anyone collecting morel mushrooms for personal use from the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.

MUSHROOM GATHERING REMINDERS:

• To protect sensitive fish habitat, do not walk through rivers, streams, or creeks to access harvesting areas.
• To protect valuable cultural resources, do not remove or damage historical items or artifacts found in the national forest.
• A day use fee is required at many trailheads and day use sites. A valid Northwest Forest Pass must be displayed on the vehicle windshield when using a fee site. Passes cost $5 per day or $30 for an annual pass and are available at all national forest offices and some fee sites.
• If you are collecting mushrooms for personal use in old fire scar areas there are some hazards to be aware of:
  • Walking: Tread cautiously; the fire may have burned roots creating unseen walking hazards.
  • Falling Trees: Trees burned by fire may fall at any time, with no warning; always look up for possible hazards.  THIS IS A MAJOR HAZARD—BEWARE!
  • Due to flooding potential in burned areas, we recommend mushroom pickers monitor National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Service radio stations.  Monitor weather forecasts and be alert for flood watches and warnings. Be aware of the possibility of flooding from rains upstream of your location. Monitor local radio stations for public safety bulletins and flood information. Scan NOAA Weather Radio for real-time weather conditions; these broadcasts require a scanner or special radio receiver.

MUSHROOM ETIQUETTE

Due to the delicate life cycle of mushrooms there are a few things you can do to protect the species in your favorite areas. These few steps may help to sustain your mushroom picking pleasure into the future: 1) Pick only two-thirds of the mushrooms you find. Do not collect mushrooms from previously harvested areas; leave the rest for seed (spores) and food for wildlife. 2) Minimize the impacts to the actual fungus by not disturbing the ground habitat. This means do not use rakes, dogs, pigs or other methods to dig mushrooms. Use a knife to cut the mushroom to minimize the impact to the fungus. 

KNOW YOUR MUSHROOMS

Each year interest grows in harvesting wild mushrooms from National Forests. Proper identification and determination of whether a mushroom is edible is the responsibility of the picker. Many forest mushroom varieties are poisonous. There are many guide books available to assist with identification. Some forests offer field guides for sale. Your local library, county extension office, and local Mycological Society are good sources of information. Our word to the wise is:  WHEN IN DOUBT... LEAVE IT IN THE WOODS!

Other Agencies

• Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will not issue commercial mushroom harvest permits. Therefore, DNR lands and developed campgrounds are closed to commercial harvesters. Personal use harvest is allowed without a permit. ATV/ORV travel is allowed on open roads only. ATV/ORV travel off any road, behind gates, or on trails is strictly prohibited. In undeveloped and dispersed campsites, campfires are prohibited and camping is limited to 14 days. Garbage – Pack it in – Pack it out. For more information contact DNR at 509-925-8510.
• Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) does not allow commercial mushroom harvesting or camping for commercial harvesters. For more information call 509-575-2740 or 509-754-4624.
• Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office:  509-422-7200
• Yakima County Sheriff's Office: 509-574-2500
• Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office:  509-962-7525
• Chelan County Sheriff’s Office:  509-667-6875

Washington State forest product transportation requirements can be found under RCW 76.48.060 and at https://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=76.48&full=true#76.48.061

You will need a $5 Christmas tree permit to remove a tree from the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Permits are not refundable. Check out this video for tips on successful tree hunting.

GET YOUR PERMIT:

• Online
• Participating Vendors
• Some Forest Offices (Cle Elum, Methow Valley, Naches, and Wenatchee River Ranger District offices)

Permits purchased online must be printed to be valid. Learn more about purchasing a permit and gathering a Christmas tree at recreation.gov/tree-permits/okawen

Free Christmas Tree Permits are available to all Fourth Graders with an Every Kid Outdoors Pass or voucher. Pass holders may receive a free Christmas tree permit by presenting an Every Kid Outdoors Pass or valid paper voucher printed from the Every Kid Outdoors website: everykidoutdoors.gov

Guidelines when cutting a tree from the national forest:

• Maximum tree size is 15 feet.
• The tree may be cut, or dug up and removed as a transplant. The ground starts freezing as early as November. Please fill in the hole created when digging up a live tree.
• Please remove the entire tree, not just the top. Leave no more than a 6-inch stump.
• If there are any live limbs still attached to stump after tree is felled, cut them from the stump.
• When at a trailhead requiring a fee, you will need to display a Northwest Forest Pass on the dashboard of your vehicle. This pass can be purchased from any Forest Service office.
• Do not park at a Sno-Park unless you have a valid Washington State Sno-Park permit displayed in your vehicle.
• When choosing a Christmas tree, try to pick a tree from among a group of trees so one area does not become void of trees.
• The Christmas tree permit system is not meant to be a replacement for our special forest product transplant program. That program is separate with its own guidelines. The Christmas tree program is just that, a program set up for families to cut their own Christmas tree.
• When you cut your tree, peel and attach the Christmas tree permit sticker by wrapping it around the tree trunk between limbs where it is clearly visible while in transit. Tags may not be re-used.  Each permit is for one Christmas tree. Only two permits issued per family. 

Areas where trees cannot be cut:

• Within congressionally designated Wilderness Areas (dark green shaded areas on Interactive Forest Map )
• Within Fire Closure Areas. Contact local Forest Service offices for information on specific closure areas.
• Within 200 feet of the following roads:
  • Naches District—along Highway 410, Highway 12,  and Forest Service Roads #1200, #1800, and #1900
  • Entiat District—along the Entiat Valley Road
  • Cle Elum District—along I-90 and Highway 97
  • Methow Valley District—along Highway 20 over Loup Loup Pass between Twisp and Okanogan. Along Harts Pass road #5400. Along North Cascades Scenic Highway between east and west scenic highway portal signs (including all side roads).
• Within 150 feet of any stream, lake, pond, or wetland area.
• In active timber sale areas.
• On privately owned and state managed land within the National Forest boundary.
• In tree plantations, campgrounds, administrative sites, or other areas where specifically posted.

Tree Care and Transportation:

• If a tree is obtained early in the season, it should be kept in a cool place, out of the wind, in a bucket of water. Remember, a tree that is dry is an extreme fire hazard.
• Carry the tree carefully out of the woods. If the tree will not fit in the vehicle, wrap it in a tarp to prevent windburn and needle loss during transportation.
• When you get your tree home, make a fresh cut on the butt to open up the pores which have been clogged by sap. Cut off at least one-half inch. If you do not make a fresh cut, the tree will not be able to drink water. After the cut is made, put the tree in water as soon as possible. An average tree may consume between a quart and a gallon of water per day.
• Avoid placing the tree next to fireplaces, heaters, television sets, or other heat sources.
• Forest road conditions can change rapidly this time of year. For current information, please contact the local Ranger District office. District personnel may also be able to help you find the type of tree you would like to take home for the holidays.
• Be sure to properly dispose of your cut tree after the holidays. Most waste disposal companies offer special pick up times. Never try to burn the tree in your fireplace or woodstove; a chimney fire could result.

Permits to dig up trees, shrubs, and plants from the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest may be available upon request from the Methow Valley, Chelan, and Wenatchee River Ranger District offices. Costs vary depending upon species of plant. Generally, though, costs range from $5 to $10 each for trees and about 50 cents each for shrubs and plants (with a minimum permit of $20). 

For more information about transplant permits, please contact individual Ranger District offices. Cle Elum and Naches Ranger Districts do not permit transplant digging.

Post and pole permits may be available from the Methow Valley, Chelan, Cle Elum, and Naches Ranger District offices of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest (keep in mind that quantities are limited on some Ranger Districts). Please contact these offices for more information and availability.

Rockhounding, rock/mineral collecting (including petrified wood), and fossil collecting on National Forest lands all require a permit. Permit fees will vary depending on the type and amount of material collected, the location of the collection site, and the potential use of the material. Materials collected cannot be re-sold commercially; collection is for personal use only.

Small quantities of lapidary minerals (agates, chalcedony, geodes, jaspers, and other common variety rocks), and petrified wood collected for personal use require a free use permit. Collection of larger quantities of materials like boulders and sand and gravel for landscaping or similar purposes may require a fee permit depending on the quantity of material collected. Some areas of the forest are not open to rock collection.

View a rockhounding brochure outlining requirements, rules and etiquette.

Any person interested in rockhounding, or rock collecting must first acquire a permit from their local ranger district office.

Fossils

Fossil collecting on National Forest lands is limited to plant and invertebrate fossils and does not require a permit. Vertebrate fossil collecting is strictly prohibited, as is the collection of archaeological artifacts and meteorites.

Gold Panning & Metal Detecting

Activities like gold panning and metal detecting may be permitted in a limited capacity. Mining for minerals requires the location of a mining claim and a plan of operations. Gold panning and metal detecting are considered prospecting by the Forest Service, so any person interested in those activities must either receive permission from a mining claimant or pan/detect in areas not covered by mining claims. Any prospecting activity more intensive than panning or metal detecting may require a plan of operations.

Please contact your local ranger district office for more information.

These activities are also managed or restricted by state regulations. Please review the Washington Department of Natural Resources Gold and Fish Book for details.

For more information about collecting other forest products (such as cones, evergreen boughs, wildflowers, shrubs, berries, moss, burls, bark, etc.) please contact any Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest office.

To ensure a lasting supply of special forest products, remember that some areas/and or certain species of plants are restricted from harvesting. These restrictions ensure the continued availability of forest products from the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. In addition, many plants are considered sensitive, threatened for endangered.